Ronaldo hat-trick keeps Real title hopes alive

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-05-06 09:27

MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo fired a hat-trick to keep Real Madrid's title challenge alive with a 4-1 comeback victory at Real Mallorca on Wednesday.

Ronaldo hat-trick keeps Real title hopes alive

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo (C) shoots to score his third goal past Real Mallorca's goalkeeper Dudu Aouate during their Spanish first division soccer match at Ono stadium in Palma de Mallorca May 5, 2010. [Agencies]

The world's most expensive player single-handedly inspired Real after they had been stunned by Mallorca's early goal.

It was his first hat-trick in La Liga and took his tally for the season to 25, one behind team mate Gonzalo Higuain who scored Real's fourth.

Manuel Pellegrini's side moved to 92 points, one behind Barca with two matches left after winning what was considered the toughest game of their title run in.

Barcelona visit Sevilla on Saturday when Real are at home to Athletic Bilbao. On the final weekend of the season Barca host relegation-threatened Real Valladolid and Real visit struggling Malaga.

Mallorca slipped out of Spain's last Champions League qualification place to fifth on 59 points, with Sevilla having earlier hammered Racing Santander 5-1 to climb on to 60.

Aritz Aduriz stooped to nod past Iker Casillas when a half-cleared corner was knocked back into the area, but the goal only served to make Ronaldo increase his workrate at the Ono Estadi.

He ran at the home defence at every opportunity and levelled when Sergio Ramos picked out his run with a long pass over the top in the 26th minute, and the Portuguese bravely made it to the ball ahead of Dudu Aouate to loop the ball into the net.

Ramos crossed again for the second just after the re-start, when Ronaldo chested down and poked the ball past Aouate, but his third was the pick of the bunch, as he accelerated through three defenders before shooting low into the net.